Israel's ambassador to the United Nations, Gilad Erdan, sent a harsh letter to the editor of The New York Times, in which he criticized the newspaper's coverage of Israel, which he says incites and motivates antisemitic violence.
In the letter, the ambassador presented data from an in-depth study conducted last year at Bar Ilan University, which examined the nature of the newspaper's distorted coverage of Israel. For example, it was said that in 2022, The Times published 361 articles focusing on Israel, most of which defame and brand Israel as a country that violates human rights.
Israel: Israelischer Amb. schreibt einen vernichtenden Brief an die NYTimes über die Berichterstattung über Israel
— haOlam (@haOlam_de) February 22, 2023
Der israelische UN-Botschafter Gilad Erdan schreibt nach einer ...
#Israel #Erdan #NewYorkTimes #Berichterstattung #Medienhttps://t.co/fWZrnasa2t
"The cornerstones of journalism ethics are truth, accuracy, and objectivity, values that, when it comes to Israel, The Times deliberately refuses to uphold," Erdan wrote in his letter. "When The New York Times chooses to demonize Israel, the very least professional journalism demands is that the reader is exposed to the whole story in order to formulate an unbiased opinion. Yet when The Times reports Israel’s actions with nearly non-existent context, it actively contributes to warping the truth."
This graph is not from the @AlJazeera terror network. It's from the New York Times @nytimes. Last year, the newspaper ran 192 negative articles about Israel 🇮🇱 with a combined 4 negative articles about Hezbollah, Islamic Jihad and Hamas Muslim Brotherhood. @giladerdan1 pic.twitter.com/T0f5mL5YiC
— Avi Kaner ابراهيم אבי (@AviKaner) February 22, 2023
Erdan then spoke of how the esteemed newspaper fails to report on the dangers of terrorism. "Due to your whitewashing of Palestinian terror and the propagation of half-truths, your readers are hardly aware of these Jihadist organizations’ existence, let alone the constant threat they pose to Israel. In the future, if Israel is again forced to defend itself against indiscriminate Palestinian rocket fire on our homefront, whether from Gaza or Lebanon, your readership will unknowingly infer that Israel is the aggressor, despite the exact opposite being true. Through this deceitful coverage, The Times not only twists the truth but also incentivizes terrorism."
Israeli Ambassador to the UN's Gilad Erdan writes letter to New York Times editor following year-long study on paper's Israel coverage. https://t.co/kFTXido9Io
— Israel National News - Arutz Sheva (@ArutzSheva_En) February 22, 2023
Erdan then concluded that the manner in which The Times chooses to present Israel is purely antisemitic and harms not only Israelis but Jews living all throughout the globe. "As you are aware, antisemitism is rising at a terrifying rate. Much of today’s violent Jew hatred takes the form of Israel's hatred. And part of the blame for this growing bigotry lays on your shoulders. The New York Times’ libelous narratives are actively contributing to the growing hatred of my country, and as a result, your publication plays a role in endangering Jews around the globe."
The NYT was recently criticized for its reporting on the lives of Orthodox Jews in New York City. the CEO of the Anti-Defamation League claimed that their narrative helps promote antisemitic tropes.
